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Jets Taking It Slow With Sanchez’s Return

Haraz N. Ghanbari/Associated PressThe Jets’ Mark Sanchez, right, and D’Brickashaw Ferguson arriving for a state dinner at the White House on Wednesday night.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez spent Wednesday evening at the White House where, at a state dinner honoring President Felipe Calderón of Mexico, he came face to face in the receiving line with Mexico’s first lady, who pulled a Sanchez jersey from her purse.

Sanchez brought left tackle D’Brickashaw Ferguson. (Why not keep the guy protecting your blind side happy?) Ferguson happens to follow politics, and he reported that President Obama is not likely to be giving up his allegiance to the Chicago Bears any time soon. Sanchez kept the menu and his name tag from the event.

By Thursday morning Sanchez was back with the Jets, and he looked surprisingly sharp in seven-on-seven drills. He dropped back with no apparent discomfort and completed a touchdown pass to Jerricho Cotchery.

Sanchez is recovering from surgery in February on his left knee, and the Jets are being cautious with his return. He watched 11-on-11 drills from the sideline and he is unlikely to participate in organized team activities – read: off-season practices.

But the Jets have a minicamp starting June 14 at which he could return to full action. Coach Rex Ryan would not commit to a timetable for Sanchez’s return.

“I don’t’ feel comfortable with that right now,” Ryan said. “I don’t want to risk that right now. You’ve got bodies flying around. Just stay the course and in due time he’ll be out there.”

He continued: “He’s moving around great. I don’t think it’s going to be long.”

While the Jets are reluctant to push Sanchez, an early return to the offense would be beneficial. They have a new left starting guard – the second-round draft pick Vladimir Ducasse, who was lined up with the first team on Thursday – a new running back in LaDainian Tomlinson, and a new receiver, Santonio Holmes.

Sanchez’s timing with Holmes, in particular, is likely to be critical. He is expected to be the big-play downfield threat the Jets lacked last season. But because he is suspended for the first four games of the regular season, Sanchez’s work with Holmes in minicamp and training camp will be important.

Sanchez is pushing to do more during the organized team activities, even though he understands the coaches’ thinking.

“I’m trying,” he said Thursday. “I’m asking every day. That’s the kind of mentality you’d want your coaches to have. That’s the kind of mentality the coaches want me to have. It’s just not worth taking a chance. What if somebody falls. We’re just taking it slow and being smart.”

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